Thursday, October 01, 2009

False Creek Seawall

A couple of days before Mum and Dad were to return home the weather was good and I wasn't tied up on appointments so we ventured into the city for a walk neither David or I had done before.

We walked the seawall around False Creek. We have completed the section around Stanley Park a number of times but the same seawall continues around most of the downtown penninsula and made a nice urban waterside stroll. The total loop is approximately 10kms although we did a little less than this as we took the Aquabus from Granville Island to Stamps Landing, cutting out perhaps 1.5kms.

So we parked on the South side of False Creek and walked to the waters edge near Stamps Landing.

Views here across False Creek towards the Yaletown neighbourhood of downtown.

Looking due North from the south side of the inlet again at Yaletown

Looking in a North Westerly direction towards downtown, the dome of BC Place just appears on the right and the Cambie Street bridge is here also.

We walk a little further along in an anti-clockwise direction so soon Science World appears at the end of the inlet.

Looking across to Coopers Point, BC Place behind and the Northshore mountains in the distance

We walk along the front of the Olympic Village, which is nearing completion ready for the Winter Games in February 2010. The landscaping incorporates a sensitive man-made eco-system, which we don't think is quite functioning yet given the state of the tidal creek in the foreground.

We get closer to Science World and will indeed walk along front of it, around the back of the inlet and then along the North side of False Creek. Science World was built as part of the Expo '86 fair and has remained a landmark building and tourist attraction in the city.

This is the Plaza of Nations which was also built as part of the Expo '86 fair. However this building was only designed to be temporary so in 2007 much of the site was demolished as the repairs and maintenance became unviable. It had originally housed a 4,500 seat open-air but covered auditorium plus further indoor conference and meeting facilities. The auditorium and associated office blocks have been torn down but the conference facilities have been converted and now house the Edgewater Casino.

Mojo and I

A group taking dragon boat lessons

Dad, Mum and I

We stop outside Science World for some lunch. Shortly after we continue our walk, this view across the park next to Science World looking towards the condo towers on Quebec St with the skytrain in front.

A good view of the two stadiums. BC Place on the left - home of the BC Lions and large concerts such as the Madonna show we went to earlier this year. On the right is GM Place which is home to the Canucks and smaller stage concerts such as the Bon Jovi and James Blunt shows we had been to.

A good view looking back across False Creek to the Olympic Village we had walked along the front of earlier. The assortment of towers will house the athletes for the games next year and then be sold off as condos afterwards.

Looking back up False Creek, Plaza of Nations on the left and Science World on the right.

A couple of art pieces on the North side of the inlet


We continue on the North Side of False Creek here we are adjacent to David Lam Park.

A funky new condo tower The Erikson being built.

This view is looking South over False Creek neighbourhood with the waterfront Charleson Park in the foreground.

View back to Stamps Landing where we had started our walk, and will return to by water taxi shortly.

View of Granville Street bridge

House boats along the side of the inlet

We walked under the Granville Street the view here across to Granville Island.

Looking West towards the Burrard Street bridge.

We then catch the first of two water taxis, or Aquabus as they are called.

The first Aquabus took us across False Creek to Granville Island, where we needed to change and get another one up the inlet back to Stamps Landing close to where the car was parked. Dad, Mum, Mojo and I waiting for the second of the Aquabus

Mum and Dad on the Aquabus

Mojo tolerates the ride although would have prefered to stay on dry land.

In fact Mojo is quite exhausted after this walk as it was actually his second one of the day having had a long off-leash stick throwing kind of a walk in the morning and then this longer on-leash stroll. He was ready to get home and snooze.

An excellent walk making terrific use of the waterfront and gave a different perspective to the city.

1 comment:

Anne&Ian said...

Thank you both for a lovely holiday.
Kootenay was a well-chosen beautiful spot.
Lovely pictures we look forward to our next visit.

Mum and Dad